DAWN (a Tori Vega and Jacob Black fanfic)
by Elsa Arrendelle
Summary: Tori's father was killed by a huge black wolf. Tori's mother blames her daughter for her husband's death. She mistreats and abuses Tori. After several months of this nightmare, Tori runs away to the woods where she meets a mysterious boy named Jacob Black. Little does she know, Jacob has a dark secret that, if not controlled, can hurt everyone he loves...
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

**The Songvogal and the Big Bad Wolf**

The wind blew through the forest, rustling through the tree branches. The sun shone through the gaps in the trees, bathing the forest in its yellow light. The birds sang high up in the tall trees, out of sight of predatory eyes. I walked with my father, twigs snapping beneath our feet.

My father was a hunter. He went in the woods and caught food for our family and the other people in our small village. He was well respected among the people. One day, I wanted to be just like him and provide food for the village. But I was young- only four years old. It would be a few years before Father could start teaching me how to hunt. Nonetheless, I was very eager to start and couldn't wait until I was old enough.

He looked down at me and smiled, "Will you do something for me, my little Songvogal?"

I giggled. My name is Victoria, but my father calls me his little "Songvogal" a lot. I was a good singer- even at the age of four. People loved to hear my singing. My voice, people said, was angelic. "Her voice can bring a smile upon the face of the saddest of men," they would say. And it, in a way, was true. For if a person of the village was sick, I would be asked to sing for them to try to try and make them feel a little happier. Hence, giving me the nickname "Songvogal," meaning songbird in German.

"What is it, Father," I questioned, looking up at him with my chocolate brown eyes.

"Sing for me?"

I nodded eagerly, a grin on my face. Father picked me up and rested me on his hip. I started to sing the lullaby Father sang to me at night. He had read it in a book when he was younger.

"_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_

_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_

_Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes_

_And when again they open, the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you."_

As I finished the song, I saw Father smile. I smiled, too- glad to have made him happy. Father kissed my forehead and set me down on the ground.

With the smile still one his face and a twinkle in his eye, he looked down at me and said, "You have a beautiful voice, my little Songvogal. Now, ready to go home and have dinner with Mommy?"

I nodded eagerly and we started heading home.

I stood behind the tree, watching the deer as it munched on the grass, lifting its head every so often and looking around. It sniffed the air for danger, but I wasn't worried. I knew it couldn't smell me. The wind was blowing south, towards me, carrying my scent with it. After a few seconds, the deer put its head back in the water.

_Now_, I thought. _Now, while it's distracted._

I pulled back on the loaded bow in my hands. I stared at the deer, which was still drinking, and took aim. After a few seconds, I let go. The arrow whizzed through the air and shot the deer in the hind leg. The deer's head snapped up as it cried out in pain and tried to run, but fell. I cringed,

_I'm sorry, little deer_,I thought, feeling sorry for the injured animal.

Approaching footsteps broke me out of my thoughts. I turned to see my father walking up to me from where he had been observing me from a few yards away.

"Nice shot," he said and smiled at me.

His gaze turned to the injured deer a few feet away. He started walking toward it. I followed. Once he was next to the crying deer, he knelt down at the deer's side. I knelt down at its head. I reached my hand out and stroked its ears.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

It looked at me with pain in its wide brown eyes. I felt my eyes start to tear up as I kept stroking its ears and head.

"I know. I know. It hurts. It'll be over soon," I whispered, sniffling.

Not taking my eyes off the deer's, I told my father, "Now. Do it now. It's suffered enough."

Wordlessly, my father took out a knife from within his pocket and put the deer out of its misery. Tears rolled down my face as I watched the light in the deer's eyes fade until the body was still.

"Are you okay," my father questioned gently.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks with my hand and rubbed my eyes.

"I- I'm fine," I stammered.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine," I stated more firmly. "it's just…" I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"it's alright. You're still learning. It gets easier."

"Father, I'm sixteen. How can it "get easier?" I cry like a complete baby every time I see an animal get killed. It's been six years and I still cry."

"It's sad. Some people's emotions can be read like an open book. Other's not so much."

"So, I'm not a complete baby," I asked, still unsure.

"No, Victoria, you're not. You just show your emotions more than others. And there's nothing wrong with that. Remember that, okay?"

"Yes, Father. Thank you," I said and hugged him tightly. He hugged me back just as tightly. I sighed, comfortable in his strong embrace- safe, as if nothing could touch me.

It was a few minutes before we finally let go of each other.

When we finally did, my father asked, "Ready to go, my little Songvogal?"

"I'm not little anymore, Father," I pointed out, smiling.

"Well, then. I'll just have to call you Songvogal."

I chuckled. "That'll work."

"Good. Then are you ready to go now, _Songvogal_?"

I laughed. "Yes, Father. I'm ready."

We picked up the deer, each of us taking one end, and started heading home.

After a half a mile or so, we took a break. Despite the deer's small size, it weighed a ton. By the time we stopped, I was gasping for air.

We were sitting on a log, the deer at our feet, when I heard the sound of twigs snapping under someone's- or something's- footsteps. I knew it wasn't my father. For he was right next to me.

Apparently, he had heard it, too, for he was looking around, knife in hand.

"Victoria, he whispered. "Get your bow ready."

I nodded and immediately loaded my bow, pulling back on the arrow, ready to shoot at any time.

I looked around me and up at the branches of the trees. Nothing. Suddenly, I heard a scream. I whipped around to see a huge pitch black wolf pounce on my father, its pointed claws and razor sharp teeth gleaming in the sunlight.

"No!" I cried and let the arrow fly. It got the wolf in the side, causing it to falter slightly. I took advantage of its momentary distraction and shot another arrow- this time at its chest, right at its heart. There was a sharp cry from the wolf and then it fell to the ground, motionless- its chest stilling.

Sure of the creature's death, I dropped my bow and quiver of arrows and ran over to where my father lay. The first thing I saw: blood. Lots of it. My father's body was covered in the red liquid, his flesh torn apart by the black wolf's enormous jaws.

Tears ran down my face as I knelt beside my father's body, crying uncontrollably.

"Father?" I whispered.

"Victoria. Will you do something for me?"

"Anything. What is it?"

"Will you sing for me, Songvogal?"

Wordlessly, I nodded and started to sing.

"_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_

_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_

_Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes_

_And when again they open, the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you." _My voice started to crack at the end.

"Victoria," he rasped, wincing in pain. "Stay strong. Take care of your mother."

"Father, no! Please! No!" I screamed, sobbing even harder.

"I love you, my little Songvogal. Remember that."

"I love you too, Father. I won't forget. I promise."

He smiled. That was the last thing he did before his body went limp. Unmoving. Lifeless. Dead.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

**I'm Living In a Nightmare**

"VICTORIA! GET DRESSED AND GET DOWN HERE! NOW!" my mother shrieked from downstairs.

I shot out of bed and ran to my closet. I threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I then grabbed my pair of brown knee-high boots and slipped them on and I'm dressed and at my bedroom door in thirty seconds. I opened the door and stepped out. Before closing it, I looked back into my room to make sure I didn't forget anything.

_I didn't. Good_, I thought to myself as I close the door. I locked it, and put the key in my pocket.

"VICTORIA!"

I sighed. Here goes another nightmare, starring me and the Wicked Witch of the West, aka… my mother.

My father died a few months ago. We were in the woods, heading home after catching a deer, when a huge black wolf jumped out from the trees and attacked my father. I killed the wolf, but not before it mauled my father, causing him to bleed to death. Every night, I relive his death in my sleep. I still wake up in the middle of the night, screaming for him to not die- to not leave me. But he always does, just like he did on that dreadful day three months ago. And what's worse, no one comes to comfort me, for my mother, who sleeps in the next room, is oblivious to my pain and my screams.

My father's last words to me were, "I love you, my little Songvogal. Remember that." And I do remember that. Every day I think of those words when my mother yells at me or beats me. That's the only thing that keeps me sane. That's the only thing that keeps me alive in this nightmare—in both nightmares, day and night—the fact that someone loves me, even if they not alive to say so.

I ran down the stairs and skidded into the kitchen. There stood The Wicked Witch of the West, her arms crossed in front of her chest and her feet firmly planted on the ground. We looked almost identical with the same long chestnut brown hair and chocolate brown eyes; the same curvy figure and glamorous cheekbones. We may look alike, but our similarities end there. She has a very short temper, especially when I'm involved. She reprimands me for every little thing I do. She finds a mistake in everything I do. And even if there isn't one, she'll tell me to do it over again.

She doesn't want me going anywhere except a few places. On school days, I have to be home by a certain time. School ends at 3:00 and I have to be home by 3:15. My house is ten minutes from school, so I have to leave right away. On Saturdays, when I go grocery shopping, I can't be gone for more than 2 hours. And I can't be one second late. I learned that the hard way….

"I'm going to be home late tonight. By the time I get home, you better have dinner ready and the house better be cleaned. If it's not, there will be consequences. Do you understand me, Victoria?"

I nodded silently.

Suddenly, pain shot through my face and tears formed in my eyes, threatening to spill over and run down my cheeks. My own mother had slapped me.

"You are to answer me when I ask you a question," my mother yelled. "Now. I will ask you again. Do. You. Understand. Me?"

"Ywa," I whimpered.

"Good," my mother growled. "I'm leaving now. By the time I get home that work better be done."

"Yes, Mother," I squeaked.

With one last glare at me, my mother turned and walked out of the house, grabbing her purse and a bottle of beer as she went.

Once the door closed, I sighed in relief and slumped down the wall.

"I'm living in a nightmare," I thought out loud. "I have to get out of here."

At that moment, while I was in pain and slumped against the wall, I made a decision that would change my life forever. At that moment I made the decision to run away. And never come back.


End file.
